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en-usEngadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronicsCopyright 2018 AOL Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.https://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/01/infinity-ward-adopts-two-naughty-dog-employees/https://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/01/infinity-ward-adopts-two-naughty-dog-employees/https://www.joystiq.com/2014/08/01/infinity-ward-adopts-two-naughty-dog-employees/#comments

Taylor Kurosaki and Jacob Minkoff have joined the list of developers who have left The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog to pursue other interests. The pair will both join Call of Duty series developer Infinity Ward, with Kurosaki taking on the responsibilities of Narrative Director, and Minkoff assuming the role of Design Director. The men eachtweeted their respective news earlier today.

Kurosaki and Minkoff's departures are the latest chapters in a tale that is starting to feel pretty familiar; former Naughty Dog art director Nate Wells is now with Giant Sparrow, game director Justin Richmond has been summoned to Riot Games, and Amy Hennig, writer of the Uncharted series, is currently working with EA and Visceral Games on an as-of-yet unseen Star Wars game.

Last of Us directors Bruce Stanley and Neil Druckmann don't seem to be going anywhere, which is good news for anyone looking forward to the upcoming movie adaptation.

The fourth and final round of Call of Duty: Ghosts DLC will make its debut on Xbox platforms next week, Activision announced.

The Nemesis DLC pack adds four new multiplayer maps: Goldrush, Subzero, Dynasty, and Showtime, a "reimagined" version of the Shipment map originally featured in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Nemesis also includes the final chapter in the co-op Extinction storyline, pitting players against a new alien breed equipped with psychic powers.

Nemesis premieres on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One on August 5. Releases for the PlayStation 3, PS4, and PC platforms will follow in September.

Former Infinity Ward developers announced the formation of a new Los Angeles-based studio today, Reload Studios. Co-founded by James Chung and Taehoon Oh, Reload Studios currently houses 12 individuals that will focus on game development for virtual reality, mobile and home console platforms. While the developer is being officially introduced now, Chung's LinkedIn profile indicates that the studio first formed in May.

Chung and Oh are joined by former Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series producer Pete Blumel, Infinity Ward developer Hougant Chen and Disney animator Nik Ranieri. Reload Studios also has ties to independent licensed game developer Heavy Iron as well as EA. The developer is currently working on a VR-enabled first-person shooter for mobile and next-gen systems and plans to launch its first game in 2015.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series creator Neversoft is no more, as remaining team members have now merged with fellow Activision studio Infinity Ward to work on current and upcoming projects.

Neversoft's Matt Canale posted the above image via Twitter, bringing the studio's 20-year run to a fiery end. After being acquired by Activision in 1999, Neversoft went on to create standout games like 2000's Spider-Man, Xbox 360 launch title Gun, and several entries in the Guitar Hero franchise following the departure of series creator Harmonix.

Neversoft worked closely with Infinity Ward in developing its final project, the "Extinction" gameplay mode in 2013's Call of Duty: Ghosts. Infinity Ward is one of three studios devoted to the Call of Duty series, and is slated to produce a new entry in 2016 following this year's release of Sledgehammer Games' Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and a 2015 follow-up project from Treyarch.

Infinity Ward and Neversoft are merging, according to Giant Bomb. Citing an internal memo written by Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg, Giant Bomb reports that the Neversoft name will be retired, as the Infinity Ward name is so closely tied to Activision's annual Call of Duty franchise. This makes Infinity Ward, according to the supposed memo, the "sensible choice."

Dave Stohl, executive VP of worldwide studios for Activision, will lead the new studio, while current head Steve Ackrich will take a new leadership role. Neversoft leaders Joel Jewett and Scott Pease, studio head and studio director respectively, have, according to Giant Bomb's report, made the decision to retire from the games industry.

Infinity Ward is launching DLC for Call of Duty: Ghosts on Xbox platforms that will add narration to multiplayer matches by the one and only Snoop Dogg. As you terrorize the battlefield, Snoop becomes your own personal hype man, which sounds like just about the most amazing thing in the world. Want something a little gruffer? A voice pack featuring Full Metal Jacket drill instructor R. Lee Ermey is also in the works. Each DLC pack is priced at $2.99.

IW is launching a number of new customization DLC packs for weaponry featured in Ghosts, as well. Continuing to show its friendliness towards all things 420, Ghosts players can purchase the puntastic Blunt Force Personalization Pack, which delivers "chronic lethality" camo, a reticle, patch, player card and background. The Blunt Force pack and other customization packages are available for $1.99.

Finally, the latest set of DLC features player skins, one of which features past CoD heroes Soap and Ghost. According to the Call of Duty blog, customization DLC packages "are non-transferable and cannot be carried forward or backward" between last generation's console and the new Xbox One.

The Predator will stalk Call of Duty: Ghosts players on PCs and PlayStation consoles on May 8 with the multiplatform launch of "Devastation," a DLC pack that adds new weapons and maps to Ghosts' multiplayer component.

Available as part of Call of Duty: Ghosts' Season Pass, Devastation introduces the Predator as a playable character for those who complete the new Ruins map's Field Order. The pack also adds the SMG and assault rifle hybrid "Ripper" weapon, along with the second chapter in the ongoing "Extinction" series.

Devastation originally launched earlier this month as a timed exclusive for Xbox platforms. The add-on pack is priced at $15.

Call of Duty fans can square off against movie star and noted extraterrestrial hunter the Predator in the new "Devastation" DLC pack released today for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 versions of Call of Duty: Ghosts.

The Devastation pack adds the new Ruins, Collision, Behemoth, and Unearthed maps to Ghosts' multiplayer component, along with the second chapter in the game's ongoing Extinction storyline. Players who complete the Ruins map's Field Order will earn the ability to become the Predator in combat, gaining access to the alien's dual wrist blades, shoulder-mounted plasma cannon, and infrared target-seeking capabilities.

The Devastation DLC pack is priced at $14.99, and is included as part of Call of Duty: Ghosts' Season Pass.

There's something out there waiting for us in Call of Duty: Ghosts, and it ain't no man. A new trailer for the upcoming "Devastation" DLC briefly showcases The Predator, as per last week's tease, but it doesn't exactly confirm how the alien menace is involved. Chances are it's similar to how Michael Myers features in January's "Onslaught" DLC; players transform into that horror from the big screens when duking it out in the Fog map.

Devastation launches this week, April 3, on Xbox One and Xbox 360, and other platforms will follow presumably with the traditional one month wait. The DLC features four new maps including the reimagining of the popular "Dome" arena from Modern Warfare 3, and it also chucks in the two-in-one Ripper weapon and the second episode in the Extinction campaign. It's priced at $15 as a single download, or it's available as part of the $50 Season Pass that covers four DLC packs in total.

When Activision releases the Devastation DLC for Call of Duty: Ghosts on April 3, the addition may include a familiar face - or, more specifically, a familiar shimmering outline.

If you pay a visit to the Call of Duty Instagram account (or click through the break below), you'll find a short teaser clip that bears all the familiar hallmarks of the extraterrestrial hunter first made famous in the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger action classic Predator. The vignette depicts a humid jungle, a crashed helicopter and the familiar staccato clicking of that film's titular creature. Though we're never given a good look at The Predator, the clip ends with a visually distorted, nigh-invisible creature rushing toward the camera.

While the inclusion of a classic cinematic monster might have seemed odd a few months ago, Call of Duty: Ghosts has been gradually moving away from strict realism and into the realm of pure entertainment spectacle. The Onslaught DLC pack, which debuted in January, brought horror icon Michael Myers to the shooter, while the game's ongoing Extinction DLC storyline pits human soldiers against hordes of aliens in the wastes of rural Alaska.

In a first for the series, Activision will host a free multiplayer weekend for Call of Duty: Ghosts on the Xbox One and Xbox 360 starting March 7.

The downloadable demo offers up the Strikezone, Warhawk, and Prison Break maps across a selection of gameplay modes, including Search and Rescue, Domination and Team Deathmatch. Players will also get to sample the co-op Extinction mode, in which a team of soldiers fend off alien invaders on the Point of Contact map.

The multiplayer demo is open to all Xbox Live members, regardless of Gold subscription status. Call of Duty: Ghosts' free weekend continues through Monday, March 10.

Steam is making a strong case for a mini-staycation this weekend. Festivities kick off today with the Ubisoft Publisher Sale, which lasts until February 24 and offers discounts of up to 75% across just about every Ubisoft game on Steam. Daily deals, additional discounts on select games, will further add to the temptation to spend.

Finally, Bohemia Interactive's military sandbox game Arma 3 is 40% off this weekend and available for $36. The game features a variety of single-player and multiplayer operations, and allows active personnel to edit certain gameplay scenarios and employ custom mods.

Activision has announced a new three-year development cycle for upcoming Call of Duty games, starting with this year's release. This move, which will still see individual Call of Duty games coming out annually, cements Sledgehammer Games as one of Activision's primary Call of Duty developers alongside Infinity Ward and Treyarch, which are respectively responsible for Call of Duty: Ghosts and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Each studio's game will take three years to develop, staggered for release on an annualized schedule.

"This will give our designers more time to envision and innovate for each title. Simultaneously, it will give our content creators more focus on DLC and micro-DLC which, as you know, have become large and high-margin opportunities and significant engagement drivers," Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg said during an annual earnings call today. "Finally, we'll give our teams more time to polish, helping ensure we deliver the best possible experience to our fans – each and every time."

Hirshberg went on to say that Activision "needed a third studio capable of delivering the level of excellence required for the West's biggest interactive entertainment franchise" and that Sledgehammer Games fits the bill. "They demonstrated their skill on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and on their past highly-rated games."

This year's Call of Duty game has yet to be officially announced. Sledgehammer's last game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, launched in late 2011 and was well-received by critics.

As the first map pack for the game, Onslaught brings four new maps in addition to a dual-purpose assault and sniper rifle known as "Maverick." The DLC also includes the first episode in Extinction, a four-part episodic story. Onslaught costs $15 as a stand-alone addition to Ghosts, and is also included in the game's $50 season pass.

In addition to the launch of Call of Duty: Ghosts' latest Onslaught DLC, Infinity Ward brought forth a patch for the game. While the DLC is currently only available for Xbox One and Xbox 360 players, the title update applies to all platforms, hitting Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC today before coming to PS3 and PS4 owners tomorrow.

The update adds eSports rules to the Clan vs. Clan playlist as well as a Hunted FFA and Gun Game playlists, the latter replacing Heavy Duty, which was just added in December. Infinity Ward's patch also adds a social feed to look at when you're not shooting people and some new menu music to listen to when you're not thinking about death and destruction. The Extinction game mode also earns five new Prestige ranks in the update.

Platform-specific changes are a bit more sparse, as PS4 players can enjoy a more optimized remote play experience on Vita. Additionally, Xbox One owners should have fewer issues using the Kinect's voice recognition options, and players on both Xbox platforms should now have no functionality issues when a split-screen guest signs out. The full list of changes in the game's update can be found on Infinity Ward's forums.

Onslaught, the first map pack for Call of Duty: Ghosts, launches exclusively on Xbox 360 and Xbox One tomorrow. In preparation of the launch, Microsoft has put together a pair of in-depth walkthrough videos covering the four new maps and the Maverick, a dual-purpose assault rifle and sniper rifle.

Call of Duty: Ghosts launched late last year on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Wii U and PC. Onslaught, along with subsequent DLC packs, will be available as timed exclusives on Xbox before they're released to other platforms.

Onslaught includes four new multiplayer maps, the ability to turn into Michael Myers (of Halloween fame) in the "Fog" map, the aforementioned Maverick gun and the first supplemental episode in wave-based battle mode Extinction, which follows an alien outbreak at a remote research facility in the Alaskan wilderness.

This live-action ad for Call of Duty: Ghosts' Onslaught DLC features good-natured things like kidnapping, questionable priorities and family abandonment. The DLC includes four new maps and the ability to play as Michael Meyers of Halloween fame, and will launch January 28 on Xbox One and Xbox 360.
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activisionactivision-blizzardadvertisingcall-of-duty-ghostscall-of-duty-ghosts-onslaughtdlcinfinity-wardlive-actionmicrosoftonslaughtxboxxbox-oneTue, 21 Jan 2014 23:59:00 -050011|20812768https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/21/beat-and-shoot-em-up-in-former-titanfall-god-of-war-devs-to-th/https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/21/beat-and-shoot-em-up-in-former-titanfall-god-of-war-devs-to-th/https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/21/beat-and-shoot-em-up-in-former-titanfall-god-of-war-devs-to-th/#comments

Indie developers Scary Mostro and Section Studios launched their Kickstarter campaign for To The Death today. The game combines beat-em-up and arcade shooter elements together, as players control one of two warriors that are dashing towards one another, hacking away at everything in their path. As To The Death's story goes, the warriors killed each other and are now stuck in The Crawl, a purgatory-like world between life and death.

The two studios are led by developers with a deep history in the industry, with To The Death's game design and engineering coming from Scary Mostro's Todd Alderman and Francesco Gigliotti. Both Alderman and Gigliotti are credited as lead designer and engineer respectively at Infinity Ward on the Call of Duty series, and later worked on Titanfall for Respawn Entertainment. Likewise, To The Death's art direction comes from Section Studios Creative Director Cecil Kim, visual development lead for God of War 3.

To The Death is in development for PC, Mac and Linux with early access tentatively planned for August. Scary Mostro and Section Studios are seeking $400,000 by February 19 to fund its development.

Players who have suffered a game crash bug while broadcasting in Call of Duty: Ghosts on Xbox 360 should find the game is now more amenable after a new update.

Broadcaster mode is Infinity Ward's take on the CODCast mode found in Treyarch's Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, allowing players to set up private matches and offer dynamic viewing angles for better spectating and shoutcasting.

In addition to resolving the game crash bug in Broadcaster mode, this update adds a kill feed display to Broadcaster mode, restricts certain perks while playing in competitive matches and disables the third-person spectator camera in private matches.

Call of Duty has come a long way since its WW2 days. Michael Myers? Giant spider things? The Onslaught DLC for Ghosts is a bit different from the CoD of seven years back.

Infinity Ward spilled the beans on the game's first DLC this week: Onslaught features four new maps, a new weapon in the form of the Maverick dual-purpose assault-rifle/sniper-rifle, and the first chapter of a four-part Extinction campaign.

The screenshot with the creepy trailer and campfire comes from the Fog map, and if you complete a certain field order in Fog, you get to become Michael Myers. What that means is you don the mask and axe, and other players (with sense) run away from you, all while the Halloween music plays. Sounds neat to us.

Onslaught hasn't got a long way to go before it hits Xbox One and Xbox 360 marketplaces on January 28 - no news yet on an ETA for other platforms.
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activisionactivision-blizzardcall-of-duty-ghostsdlcinfinity-wardmicrosoftnintendoonslaughtpcplaystationps3ps4wii-uxboxxbox-oneWed, 15 Jan 2014 08:30:00 -050011|20808331https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/13/onslaught-drop-date-confirmed-for-call-of-duty-ghosts/https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/13/onslaught-drop-date-confirmed-for-call-of-duty-ghosts/https://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/13/onslaught-drop-date-confirmed-for-call-of-duty-ghosts/#comments

Update: A new trailer confirms a lot of the details below, including how players can transform into Michael Myers on the new Fog map - other players will want to get a-running when that happens. It also details the first chapter, Nightfall, of the four-part Extinction campaign. As for the launch date, it's confirmed that it only applies to the Xbox One and Xbox 360.

As for what's in the DLC, that big spidery thing is coming to Extinction, for one. There's also an air of Extinction to Infinity Ward's newly teased video, with what sounds very much like the Halloween music in the background - maybe something to do with the Mike Myers custom game?

We know there's a four-part Extinction campaign spread across the four announced DLC packs, and the GameStop display noted - surprise surprise - the first part is in Onslaught. If the display is accurate, you can also expect four maps called Fog, Bayview, Containment, and Ingition, as well as a Maverick AR & Sniper rifle thrown in for good measure.

The top Call of Duty teams in the world will gather in Los Angeles on March 28 to battle in this year's Call of Duty Championship. The tournament, sponsored by Xbox, has a $1 million prize pool and is centered around this year's game, Call of Duty: Ghosts.

The top teams will be chosen from qualifier rounds in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. The preliminary rounds begin this month – a full list is available over on MLG – with a total of 32 teams being chosen to go on to LA for the finals after the qualifiers.

The road to the finals will be broadcast on both Xbox Live and MLG.tv, as will the finals themselves. Last year's winner, Fariko Impact, walked away with $400,000.

Call of Duty: Ghosts has issued a new update across all platforms. The update, which adds a new Heavy Duty game mode, is available right now on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3 and PC.

Heavy Duty is a new multiplayer playlist where each soldier spawns with additional health. On top of the new mode, this update adds additional weapon loadout options for Infected mode and your Squad will now earn extra squad points during their first five levels of progression.

This update also invalidates an invisibility exploit that was plaguing the Call of Duty: Ghosts online experience as well as instances where players could trigger unlimited perks when playing. There are also a multitude of platform-specific fixes addressed in this update, all of which you can read about in the full update notes over on the Call of Duty forums.

Activision has passed along some intel on the four DLC packs guaranteed by the Call of Duty: Ghosts season pass: Onslaught, Devastation, Invasion and Nemesis. Hey, that spells Odin! Can we get a Thor skin?
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activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsinfinity-wardmicrosoftnintendopcplaystationps3ps4season-passwii-uxboxxbox-oneThu, 19 Dec 2013 21:00:00 -050011|20792404https://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/13/call-of-duty-ghosts-skin-swaps-out-riley-for-a-big-bad-wolf/https://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/13/call-of-duty-ghosts-skin-swaps-out-riley-for-a-big-bad-wolf/https://www.joystiq.com/2013/12/13/call-of-duty-ghosts-skin-swaps-out-riley-for-a-big-bad-wolf/#comments

In Call of Duty: Ghosts, there is a killstreak where you can summon Riley, the guard dog featured in the campaign, to take out rival players. Activision has introduced a new premium skin on Xbox 360 and Xbox One, replacing Riley with a white wolf for $1.99. Did we mention that Jon Snow's white direwolf is named Ghost? Gosh, what a coincidence!
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activisioncall-of-duty-ghostsdlcinfinity-wardmicrosoftxboxxbox-oneFri, 13 Dec 2013 18:30:00 -050011|20788212